Joanna James
While there is plenty of sights to see and things to do in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, one should definitely make time to explore some of its markets too. Many of them are held at night and more than the bargain items are famed for the foodie delights on offer!
Starting things off is a morning market that can be found along Jalan Sri Pelangi. This wet market runs from around 5:00am to 11:00am and is held on Mondays and Thursdays. Being a wet market, you can expect to find fresh seafood, meats and veggies here. It's a great place to soak up some local culture and sample dishes like chee cheong fun; these yummy rice noodle rolls can have various fillings including pork or shrimp.
Feeling the Monday blues for some reason? Then make it a point to visit the KSL Pasar Malam! This night market which is only held on Mondays can be found near the KSL Shopping Centre and runs from 4:00pm to 10:30pm. Household items, clothes, toys, jewellery, perfumes and electronics are all on offer. When hunger strikes, you can try crispy shrimp cake, char kway teow, pandan chiffon, carrot cake, tau huay and more.
Also known as Bazaar Karat, this lively flea market on Jalan Segget is open not only on one or a few days but throughout the week making it an ideal choice for tourists. On weekdays, it is open from 6:00pm to midnight while on weekends it opens at 7:30pm; those staying at coastal properties such as Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas can look to plan a trip here where they can shop for all manner of goods including clothing, antiques and vintage items.
Held on Jalan Permas Jaya only on Sundays, this is another night market that is well worth planning a visit to from beach resorts in Malaysia including those in Desaru. It begins at around 5:00pm and is an ideal place for foodies to head to. Amongst the culinary delights one can try here are yong tau foo, deep-fried giant squid and mee jiang kueh which is a peanut pancake.
Open daily from 5:00pm to midnight, this market can be found behind JB Sentral and is another hotspot for dining in Johor Bahru. Hawker food is popular here with dishes such as oyster omelette, wanton mee and char kway teow on offer along with various seafood options such as grilled marinated fish called ikan bakar. You can even sample some delicious Indian cuisine including typical tandoori fare.
This Wednesday night market open from 5:00pm to 9:00pm is located along Jalan Indah close to the AEON Bukit Indah Shopping Centre; it is best to arrive here by cab or taxi since it's hard to find parking. Another market known for its food offerings, it is an ideal place to savour fried radish cake or lobak goring as well as BBQ pork and chicken and nasi padang. Those with a sweet tooth will also love the dessert called cendol and a fluffy pancake dish known as apam balik.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
